


Remedy

by App



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia
Genre: F/F, Mental Health Issues, Post-Canon, Spoilers, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-12-21 11:07:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11942868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/App/pseuds/App
Summary: With something on her finger, and a lot on her hands.





	1. Calm

"It's just... So we don't forget." Genny said to herself, twirling the ring around her finger, waiting patiently for the beef pie to finish cooking. 

Preparing food was never her strength, but she had been steadily improving. It was at least enough that she enjoyed it, hoping silently that it was good enough. As the last drops of sand fell to the bottom of the timer, Genny sighed and stood up, fixing the edges of her dress. Pulling the the pie from the heat, she cut off a piece and gave it a taste, but winced as the temperature burned her somewhat. After a few moments, she tried again, judging it to be fit for consumption. She plated it, grabbing a glass of fresh water as well, and set off.

She strolled slowly across the empty manor grounds, taking care not to tip the plate she was carrying. The home was too large for her good, but, unable to relocate, she had to make due with what she had. But more upsetting was the matter of just how empty it felt on most days. Genny hadn't even had a visitor in nearly a week. If routine kept up, Delthea would be back with supplies soon. Fridays were a wonderful day, a day for Genny to sit and actually talk with someone. On rare occasions, odd lost travelers would knock on the door, and they were fed and permitted a night in the guest room. They were however forbidden from entering the upstairs bedroom, reasonably enough, and told to disregard any strange noises they may hear. Aside from this, the majority of the home would always remain empty.

Still, it was a more welcoming place than it had been when they had first arrived. In the recent months, Genny had found herself overwhelmed with free time, and she had taken steps to make many areas of the home much more welcoming than before. Of important note was the guest room, which had had the previous fixtures - iron-barred cages for the holding of prisoners and sacrifices - removed and replaced with a warm bed, and a desk. The dungeon in the basement had not been given such a treatment, but instead now served the purpose as a holding ground for research materials. Genny mainly avoided the room, though, as it now just represented failures and a lack of hope.

Genny ascended the stairs slowly and calmly, feeling the cold stone beneath her feet. For a fleeting moment, she wondered how much longer she could keep this up, but scolded herself shortly thereafter, knowing she had told herself she would try as long as it would take.

She pushed the door to the bedroom slowly, as not to disturb anything. The sight in the room was one that most people would be unsettled by, but it was something she had already grown more than used to. Sonya stood, silently, gazing at the wall from only a hand's length away. The sheets had been torn from the bed, and a chair had tipped over.

"Dinner's ready," Genny said, setting the plate and glass down on a bedside table. Sonya's head turned to the side, glaring at Genny with empty eyes and a blank expression, before her vision slowly followed past, eventually fixing on a spot on the floor that contained nothing in particular. After she had finished tidying up the bed, Genny grabbed Sonya's hand, securing her attention for a moment, in order to lead her to the bed and sit her down, before taking her place beside her. As Genny spoon fed the older woman, she took small moments to check and feel Sonya's body for self-inflicted cuts or bruises. Nothing today. Genny took a bite of the pie herself before returning to feeding her charge. Occasionally, the spoon had to be held up to her lips for several moments before Sonya would follow through with eating it, but at least she would swallow every piece of food that Genny could get into her mouth.

Once Sonya began to completely refuse the food, Genny finished the remaining portion herself, making quick work of the remainder of the pie which had begun to grow cold. With the infrequency of the supplies, nothing could be wasted. After setting the plate to the side, she encouraged Sonya to lie down, tucking her under the blankets and lightly kissing her cheek.

"Love you. Sleep well."

No response tonight. Sonya lay with her head on her hands, eyes open, nothing apparent on her mind. Genny took the other side of the bed, lighting a candle, and reading a book. She did so for many hours before ensuring that Sonya was asleep. This was often difficult, as a non-sleeping Sonya was often very similar to a sleeping one, made more difficult by the fact that Sonya would, on occasion, fall asleep with her eyes wide open. Once this was confirmed, however, she put out the candle, tucked herself in, and drifted off as best she could.


	2. Merit

Many of her friends had remained to serve the founding of a new kingdom. Others returned to their place of origin. Genny had been convinced to travel, although that wasn't entirely true. There was a certain allure to Sonya, one that Genny hadn't realised when they had first met. Genny had felt, although everyone was friendly when she followed Celica, the only one who seemed to go out of her way to pay attention to her was this older woman. Sonya at first had seemed to be a very different person from herself, but as Genny learned to know the reasons for Sonya's defiant nature she understood her much more, and found that there weren't so many differences after all. Genny always remained a little more timid and cautious while Sonya was a bit louder and braver. But she was kind, and had showed Genny a caring side of herself that others had not. Which is why, when everyone had returned from their battle beneath the temple of Duma, Genny was the only one to notice Sonya trying to silently sneak away. In truth, it was Genny that convinced Sonya to let her travel with her.

"These sorts of celebrations aren't really for me. I figured I'd see myself out." Sonya had said after she noticed the younger girl following her.

Genny could relate. "I've never been terribly comfortable in crowds, either..." 

"I can't help but feel we have different reasons for that. So, what do you want, kid?"

"I was just wondering where you were going."

"I'm heading out." Sonya said solemnly, looking out the window into the distance. "Everyone else might have a lot to celebrate, but there's still a lot I have to do. Sorry, kid, it was fun."

"Wait!" Genny had yelled, grabbing Sonya's hand, but it had quickly been snatched away. Genny continued to follow, silently, out of the castle, into the fields, crossing many acres until the two of them stood at the edge of the forest. Sonya had already protested several more times, telling Genny that she should remain with her friends, that she has a lot she could do here. And while most of these things were very true, Genny quickly refused. She simply cared too much about Sonya.

Sonya had paused for a few minutes, glaring back at Genny, crossing her arms and giving her a look that clearly feigned disappointment. Still unable to convince the girl to go home, she admit defeat and accepted what she was stuck with. She begun to explain her goal, much of which Genny had expected, having pieced together much of Sonya's actions in the past. Once Sonya had finished explaining, Genny simply agreed to help, and the pair shook hands before wandering forward into the forest.

Their research was very promising at first. They began by interviewing relatives of known witches, and visiting some live ones. Although, as the will of Duma had faded and passed on, so had that of the witches that were once a part of the Duma faithful. Many were permanently bedridden. Others would stumble into towns in a disheveled state, confusing the villagers by being generally unresponsive. When they did speak however, they were at least coherent, although drained of hope and reason. Anything they had to say was unhelpful reminiscing of the deceased entity to which they had sold their souls. Genny took up the role of a scribe, jotting down details on everything that could be of interest in a journal that she kept on her at all times.

On one occasion, seeking every lead available, the duo wandered into the crumbling Duma temple. They had believed it to be empty, but instead it was home to a great many witches, most of which were sobbing endlessly, a few feebly attempting to resurrect a dead god. This proved the most dangerous of their trips, as the witches who remained here seemed to still harbour a much greater resentfulness to the people who had slain their master than the ones elsewhere. In an emergency retreat, Sonya was seriously injured, but the pair managed to escape and Genny took great care of Sonya's injuries. Sonya then took it upon herself to suggest something.

Five full years had passed since they had begun, and Sonya convinced Genny to take a much needed break. Genny agreed, provided that Sonya also take a break and that they meet again in a month's time at a designated place. After taking her leave, Genny wandered between small towns on the countryside, taking in local sights and cultures. She avoided the capital, however. She felt she couldn't show her face to her friends after disappearing for so long.

After the month ended, Genny travelled to the assigned place, the now-quiet Rigel Village near the base of Fear Mountain. Sonya was waiting for her there, and suggested they travel to Nuibaba's abandoned home near the peak of Fear Mountain. The home was quiet, and cold, and showed very little signs of recent occupation. And yet, it had been lived in. Genny was miffed to find that Sonya had spent the last month here, poring over Nuibaba's materials and gathering reagents from nearby areas. It was a much safer month than the previous one, but Genny would have at least liked to have been part of the initial excursion.

"You kept going... Sonya, you shouldn't-"

"Genny, I never got to thank you properly for before. If you hadn't been with me, I wouldn't still be here."

"I..." Genny said weakly, not expecting the praise or the tight embrace that followed it. Sincere compliments from Sonya were rare, and a hug like this had never happened. She leaned into it. "Thank you."

"Hey, I'm thanking you. It's more than that, though. I've barely thanked you for anything. You've been with me for so long, and well, I just..." Sonya trailed off for a moment. "You have far too much merit. To me, at least. I know, this last month I tried to keep going alone, and it was lonely. I guess I grew too used to your company. That's all." Sonya quickly broke the hug, turning away before speaking again. "Well, let's get to work, shall we?"

Genny was pleased. As long as she could be helpful, she would be pleased. In addition to research, the two worked hard to make their living quarters more hospitable. For a few months, Genny took residence sleeping in a couch in the lobby, while Sonya slept in the room on the second floor. When winter came, however, Genny made the brave move to suggest that Sonya share her bed with her. Sonya, both amused and caring, agreed. On those cold nights, Genny snuggled in close to Sonya, feeling the warmth of her body against hers. She did not return to sleeping downstairs after the winter finished.


	3. Culmination

Research continued. Of particular note were two separate girls who each became focal points of study. One was a woman from a small home outside of Rigel Village who had been one of the last witches converted before Duma's demise. She was referred to as a "half-witch" due to the state she was in. As the process of conversion to a witch was not immediate, the effects of her transformation were incomplete at the time of Duma's death, but still noticeable. Of significance was her lack of ability to use magic, and, although she was capable of living a relatively normal life, sparks of Duma-related negativity did come through from time to time. Her ability to communicate was also severely impacted. The girl considered her situation to be relatively hopeless, and mainly spent her days in bed, but the mother allowed her to be studied by the couple, just in case. The mother herself lived a somewhat secluded life, not leaving home often, both to assist with providing care, but also to avoid questions from the townsfolk.

The other was a girl named Delthea, who was comfortably recognizable from amongst Alm's companions as the youngest, and one of the most boisterous, at the battle of Duma's Altar. She had since sworn off of magic, however, her recounts of her experience with mind control proved invaluable to many of Sonya's theories. Nothing concrete was found however, and it seemed that additional mind control techniques did not work on witches of any type. Still, Delthea came by fairly often to report on the status of many witches she had heard about across the northern parts of the country, while sharing rumours and bringing gifts for the Fear Mountain couple.

On the first visit, when she was asked to keep their studies a secret, she initially protested, but eventually accepted to the request after Genny finally inquired about it.

"Sonya... Why is it, exactly, that we don't seek out more help? Even if you don't want to talk to people, I could-"

Sonya was quick to speak. "I don't want more help than we actually need. Everyone is working very hard on other things, and, well, this is my duty. I'm grateful for your help, but I'd prefer not to have to trouble more people with this than we have to."

Genny understood how that felt. Sonya had something else, though.

"In addition to that, this sort of thing could be very dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. Most of the people who knew how to perform the ritual were among the Duma faithful, and are long gone now. It would be dangerous if too many people knew what we were doing."

"You're right." Genny said, leaning her head against her hand.

"Alright, I gotchya." Delthea said, enthusiastically. "But, if someone asks what's happening up here, what should I tellem?"

Sonya and Genny both hesitated to answer, taking their turns opening their mouths to speak but stopping out of fear of saying something too awkward. Delthea ended up giggling and answering for herself.

"Alright, I'll keep silent, then. I'll check on you again soon, though! Try not to cause any trouble." Delthea winked, before she hopped out of the door on that occasion.

The following year was quiet. Aside from the rare visits from Delthea, and the occasional trips down to Rigel Village to meet with the half-witch and pick up supplies, there was nothing else aside from the company of each other, working, studying, and experimenting. The experimenting took on multiple forms. In addition to those based around the research, there was some occasional flirting and giggling, which in turn gave way to light kissing and cuddling. Although neither of them wanted to admit it directly, they had grown extremely intertwined in the company of each other, and yet, still focused on their duty above all else.

Eventually, Sonya had her plan. She actually had a few leads, but all of them required returning the removed souls of the witches to their body. The problem with it was figuring out how to petition a god to return the soul of an individual. This was further complicated by the fact that the god they had to return it from was deceased.

There were several conclusions. The first was that despite the death of said god, the souls of the witches still existed. This was proven by the fact that the witches retained some aspects of their humanity despite the transformation. A small part of their soul remained within them. Sonya had concluded that the rest of the soul, despite existing somewhere, was not tangibly in this world and therefore unable to be found. The question was how to return the rest of their soul without the need for finding it. There was one lead. A witch, before passing on, would have their soul become whole for a brief moment before it, in its entirety, was torn from them. 

So, the plan was not to kill the witches, but to trick their souls into thinking that they are about to be extracted without actually causing the death of the individual. There were three ways they could achieve this:

The first, and most obvious, was to bring the witch within an inch of her life, then quickly heal her after the mind believes it has passed on. However, for obvious reasons, this method was far too dangerous and unreliable to act on, and neither of them would be able to consciously make the choice to do so.

The second was to use a modified variant of death magic, which would simulate the normal effects of the magic without actually resulting in the death of the individual. This method was unavailable, however, as death magic was a dark magic that was notoriously difficult to learn and would likely require many sacrifices to practice. More importantly, testing the method on humans would be nearly impossible.

The third method would involve simple mind games. Light injuries could be easily cured. Several herbs and poisons existed that could cause pain or sap an individual of their consciousness for a time without actually causing lasting harm. Most of the danger involved with this method was actually thrust upon the people attempting to carry it out, rather than the subject, as even the most hopeless witches were still known to fight back when their lives were threatened. And, since actual self-protection could not be safely employed in this situation, it was all the more dangerous.

Still, the plan had been laid out, the ingredients had been painstakingly gathered, and a willing mother would allow Sonya and Genny to test it on her daughter. If anything was worth trying, it would be this. Hopes were high as they packed the last of the supplies into their bags. Tomorrow, they would give this method its first attempt. Before that, though, Sonya had something she had to do. As Genny headed upstairs, Sonya told her to wait a moment, before retreating into the basement to grab something.

Sonya came back out of the basement a moment later, one hand behind her back. "Genny, I was sort of waiting for the right moment, but, I'm super hopeful right now. I'm just going to go ahead with it. Hold out your hand." 

Genny obliged, awkwardly, hesitantly, as Sonya grasped her hand, spreading Genny's fingers apart with her own. She kept her gaze fixed on Genny's eyes as she brought up her other hand, sliding a small silver ring around Genny's finger. A small red gem was held atop it.

"It fits. Good." Sonya said, before looking away, bringing a hand to her face. "Well?"

"I... This, thank you... Why?"

"I also... Here." Sonya grabbed Genny's hand, placing something small and cold on her palm, before bringing her hands back somewhat, leaving her left hand outstretched between them, before looking away again. Her face was far redder than usual.

Genny looked at the identical ring that had been placed on her palm. She was a bit overwhelmed by the moment to fully understand it.

"Isn't this... A bit excessive?"

"You idiot." Sonya said, covering her face with one hand to mask her flustered expression, while raising her other hand a bit higher to drive home the hint. "Don't be so cute."

"O-oh." Genny said as she slipped the other ring onto Sonya's finger. "There. We match." She giggled a bit. "So what exactly does this mean?" Genny already knew the answer, but she wanted confirmation.

"It's just... So we don't forget." Sonya blushed hard as she clasped Genny's hands in her own. "That we're here for each other. Always, even if we happen to be apart. At least, I'll be."

"I will be as well." Genny said, moving closer to Sonya, planting her lips against hers while embracing her tightly. They stayed like that for several moments before Genny relaxed her head against Sonya's shoulder, smiling. "So does this mean we're, um..."

"If anyone asks, you can tell them it has magical properties. Or something." Sonya said, trying to maintain her cool.

Genny giggled to herself, noticing that she was much less red than Sonya was. "You're way too attractive right now, you know that?" She was very much enjoying the warmth coming off of Sonya's shoulder.

"I've never been good at actual romance, even if I seem to talk a big game. Th-thanks." Sonya pulled back, looking Genny in the eyes and tapping her nose against hers. "I'm not actually sure where you got all your confidence from, although you're still very airheaded."

"Hey!" Genny complained playfully, before going in for another kiss. Shorter than the first, but still passionate. Afterwards, the two locked eyes for a moment, still hanging in each other's arms. Genny eventually spoke up. "We should probably, um, get to bed. We have a big day tomorrow, don't we?"


	4. Operation

The next morning, Sonya had to pull herself out of Genny's sleeping grip before she could actually get around to waking her up. Genny had slept heavily, in that position, preventing Sonya from getting much proper rest at all. Genny took some proper shaking to actually be woken up.

"Wake up and get dressed, sleepyhead. We have places to be."

Upon arriving at the village, the two recited their plan once more and wished for their success before knocking on the door of the half-witch's home. The mother greeted them with hope-filled eyes, introducing them once more to her daughter, before leaving the home for the moment at the advice of Sonya. The girl sat, quietly, as Genny explained that they were simply here to do some simple medical checks. Genny asked some simple questions, very few of which were answered, while keeping one eye on Sonya. 

Sonya, meanwhile, sat behind the girl, pretending to do simple physical checks on the girl's body while Genny kept her attention with the questions. Given a nod, Genny switched to some visual questions, holding up some drawings and asking the girl what she saw in them. Meanwhile, Sonya pulled a small dagger out of her bag, along with a small bottle, pouring a small amount of the reddish compound along the blade, sliding it further up to look convincing, but taking care not to nick herself whatsoever. The hardest part was coming up.

Giving one more nod, Sonya quickly made an incision along the girl's back, before quickly changing the position of her hand to make it look as if she had dug in the blade much deeper. The girl immediately spun around, letting out a shriek of sheer pain that would normally be enough to cause anyone to cover their ears. She immediately grabbed Sonya by the throat, pushing her fingers in the center, knowing much more than any normal person should how to inflict death on a person. Sonya dropped her blade on the floor, as necessary.

Genny panicked, grabbing the girl by her torso, blood smearing onto her shirt as she pulled the girl away from Sonya. It took a moment, but she managed to wrest the angry girl from Sonya, causing her to flail wildly as she screamed incomprehensible things. Sonya clutched her own throat, coughing profusely as she regained her breath and constitution. Genny managed to hold the girl fast.

Eventually, the girl's movements began to weaken, and Genny released her as she crawled weakly towards Sonya, who held up the now-empty bottle that had 'Deadly' printed clearly on the side. 

"The paralysis is getting to you. In a moment, you'll pass on. Sorry."

The girl collapsed to the floor weakly, uttering a few more curses before seemingly subsiding her rage and accepting, but not understanding, her fate. "Wh-why?"

Sonya's expression was noticeably sad as she lied through her teeth. This scene was a bit much for her, even if she knew it was fake. "By the order of the king, all witches must be exterminated if we are to bring peace to this land. It is unfortunate."

The girl's eyes closed. "I see. If that's the case... Then I guess... It's fine." She opened her eyes once more, and they looked significantly less empty than they had been at any point they had seen earlier. But they once again glazed over, as the girl's head slumped to the ground, her eyes closed, her movement ceased, and her consciousness passed. Sonya began to cough again, and Genny jumped up to care for her.

"I'm fine. Get the girl first."

"R-Right!" Genny flipped the girl over, sealing the wound on the girl's back thoroughly. "Do you think it worked?"

"I think it might've. At the end there... She was human. But we've got to wait a few hours to be sure. Go get washed up and then get the mother back in here."

"Hold on." Genny said, placing her hand against Sonya's throat, soothing her pain. "Alright. I'll be back soon."

As the couple hours passed, Genny, Sonya, and the girl's mother sat quietly around her bed, patiently awaiting the moment the girl awoke. Her vitals were stable, and she was sleeping calmly. In any moment, she would awaken, and the verdict would be known. There was a lot of hope on the faces of every conscious person in the room.

As the girl began to come to, her mother leaned in close. Perhaps the person with the most anticipation was Sonya, though, although she was doing her best to keep calm. The girl's eyes opened.

"Wh-what? Where am I?"

Her eyes were shining. Full of life. Genny had to stop herself from cheering. The mother spoke up.

"Meryl? Meryl, it's me, your mother." She had begun to cry.

"Mom... Mom? Mom, I don't..." 

A sense of dread began to overtake the room as the girl's voice trailed off, her eyes unfocusing. The mother didn't seem to notice. She hugged the girl tightly, crying tears of happiness into the girl's shoulder. Sonya was stunned. Genny knew something was up, and moved to intervene.

The girl's eyes glanced over Sonya for a moment, processing what was happening. Sonya was still too shocked to react when the girl pushed her mother away and began to move towards her, rage visible on her face. She stopped short, however, as Genny had once again begun to restrain her. Sonya still hadn't moved.

"Go!" Genny shouted.

Sonya blinked a couple more times before getting out of her chair, turning the corner out of the room and disappearing elsewhere. Genny held tight as the girl's rage slowly subsided. Once she showed no more signs of anger, Genny released her, letting her fall back down into a lying position on the bed. She muttered something hateful, staring blankly at the ceiling. Genny breathed a sigh of relief, before feeling a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you..." The mother looked defeated, but not unhappy.

Genny didn't know how to respond. "We... I'm sorry that it didn't work."

"It's alright. You gave me a moment. That's more than I ever could have asked for. And I know you tried your best." She said, wiping out a tear from under her eye.

"Will you be okay?"

"As long as she's just going back to how she was, I'll be fine. Something tells me your friend won't be as welcome around here any more, though. Tell her sincerely, thank you. I mean it. I'll keep taking care of my girl. Don't worry. She is my daughter, after all."

"Th-thank you. I'll tell her." Genny gathered her things and left the home. As she exited through the front door, she found Sonya, her face pressed into the wall, one arm folded against it, grabbing the back of her hair.

"Sonya-"

"What's the point?" Sonya said, flipping her back to the wall.

Genny couldn't think of anything to say.

Sonya slid down to a sitting position, burying her face in her hands. "It didn't work. Nothing works."

"We still have lots of other things we can try!"

"Yeah, but at what cost? What's the point in trying if we're just going to harm people before we ever come up with a working solution? If we ever do?"

"That solution was only temporary, but... The mother, she thanked us for the moment. She said she appreciated the time she got."

"But I can't keep doing this! Not if I have to keep hurting people like that."

Genny could sense that that operation had a much worse effect on Sonya than she had originally let on. And she had likely gotten her hopes far too high. Genny walked up to her, taking her hands into her own. "I love you, okay? It will be okay. We did good, today."

Sonya stood herself up. "Let's... Let's go back."

"But we still need to pick up supplies. We're running quite low."

"I just, I can't right now." Sonya said as she began to walk back towards the mountain. Genny stood, silently for a moment, before turning around and heading towards the stores. She would make it quick.


	5. Apologies

Several hours later, when she had finished hiking up with her full pack, Genny opened the door and called for Sonya. No response. She headed to the kitchen, unloading her pack and sorting out the contents to their respective places. She then returned to the main hall, and called again. Nothing. She headed upstairs, as it had gotten late. Sonya was probably sleeping. But the room was empty. So, she headed downstairs, into the research room. There Sonya sat, silently, staring at some of the materials in front of her. 

Genny cleared her throat. "Look, I know today was rough, but..." Unusually, Sonya didn't react. Genny walked towards her, wrapping her arms around her lover.

"Genny?" 

There was a lot of surprise in Sonya's voice. Genny giggled a bit. "What, were you asleep?"

"Genny, I... I'm sorry, I..." A tear rolled down onto Genny's arm. Sonya stood up, turning around, facing Genny with an extremely worried look on her face. "I-I-I wasn't thinking, and I just... I thought..."

As she spoke, the light from her eyes faded, and she lost her concentration. Genny felt frozen. 

"You... You didn't..." Genny couldn't stay stable. She grasped at Sonya. Looking down at the table, she noticed that the materials were not the ones they had written about curing witches, but rather, older materials from the Duma faithful.

"You... You couldn't... I..." Genny shook Sonya's shoulders vigorously, not getting much of a response, before Sonya snapped in again, a bit of focus coming back to her.

"I thought... If I did it differently, then it wouldn't be like this..." Sonya's speech was slow, and you can tell she was trying very hard to concentrate. "Then we wouldn't have to... Use anyone else. I-I'm sorry."

"Sonya! Sonya, come on, you're joking, right? Right?" The tears were flowing freely now from both of them.

"Genny, you, you don't have to take care of me... If you don't want to. It's okay."

"I... I'll always take care of you. Remember?" Genny held her hand up against Sonya's, touching their rings together at the base. "Come on. Stay with me..."

"Genny, I'm sorry... I love you... I'm sorry..."

"I... I love you too."

"You don't have to take care of me, Genny... If you don't want to..."

"I... I always will. Come on, let's... Let's go upstairs."

The process was far from immediate, but it felt much shorter than Genny could have ever wanted. Over the course of the next couple days, Sonya's speech became much less frequent, transforming into longer periods where she had no focus. Her slow, unstructured sentences quickly became single words at a time, then, single words as thoughts. The most frequent was 'Genny', followed by 'sorry', and then 'love you'. Even months later, these words still happened from time to time, although much less frequently. 

Sonya had quickly become all but bedridden, and Genny stumbled over herself trying to take care of the both of them. She would get better at caretaking over time, but the first few days were so far out of her comfort zone that she was afraid she'd die of exhaustion.

Genny's tears likely would have continued for much longer, but a few days later, there was a knock at the door. Delthea helped herself in, happily calling out for whoever might come pay attention to her.

"Hello? Anybody gonna come greet me?"

"Delthea?" Genny said, surprised, from Sonya's bedside. She hurried out to the main room, leaning over the railing to greet the younger girl.

"Hey, what's up, Gen? You look like you haven't slept in days. Where's Sonya?"

Genny had to hold herself back from bursting into tears again. "She's... Having a rest. I... It might... Come see."

"Eh? What's going on?"

"Just... Come see."

When Delthea saw Sonya and was explained her situation, her usually cheerful and sprightly demeanor quickly became very serious and forward. She wasn't really ready for this, but she maintained her composure. The only acknowledgement Sonya gave to Delthea's presence was a single glace over, followed by a quiet 'you', before turning back away. 

One curiosity that Delthea had was exactly who Sonya had sold her soul to, as it certainly couldn't have been Duma. Genny figured that Sonya had simply sold her soul to nothing in particular, for the express purpose of becoming a witch, even if that witch had no particular goal. Delthea didn't quite understand, but supposed that it made enough sense.

Delthea consoled with Genny for a bit, and after confirming that Genny was set on taking responsibility, she offered a hand.

"Look, I'm gonna help you out. You need it. You deserve it."

Genny was skeptical that Delthea could do anything about this. But Delthea continued.

"I'm gonna do supply runs for you. Town's far away, and you can't really leave her alone like that. I'll bring stuff to you, so you don't have to go anywhere, and you can stay with her."

"You don't have to do that." Genny protested.

"Nah, but I'm gonna. Once a week. I'll bring food and stuff up. And we can hang out and talk. You're gonna be cooped up in here all the time, so, trust me, it'll be good. I'll go get some stuff right now, actually. Be back in a bit." Delthea was quickly making her way out of the house.

"Hey! Hold on!" Genny held out her hand but didn't really have the energy to give chase, especially to keep up with the speed that Delthea acted.

"I'll be back! Love your ring, by the way!" Delthea shouted as she closed the door behind her.

She stayed true to her word, coming once a week, with several supplies for the two of them as well as a fresh prepared meal for the three of them to split for the day. As they ate together in the main room, Delthea would tell stories about what was currently going on in the Kingdom of Valentia, share funny stories and make fun of her brother. Some days, Genny would bring Sonya down to the room to sit in and participate, hoping that she would enjoy the social contact, but some days were harder than others. In that case, she would set aside part of her meal to save for Sonya. 

That day of the week was always the most fun, however, as Delthea's upbeat attitude was very catchy and hard to ignore. Genny felt blessed at how lucky they were to have a friend like her.


	6. Care

"Genny?"

Genny pulled herself awake and rolled over, peering at the purple hair beside her. Sonya was facing away from her. But she had said her name, as she was known to do from time to time, unprovoked. She stroked Sonya's hair a few times and then sat up, stretching. Today was Friday, so she may as well tidy up a bit.

The mirror that used to be in the bedroom was now in the lavatory. Genny lightly brushed her hair, making it a bit tidier while still preserving its general poofiness. Before she could even finish, however, there was a knock at the door. It was a bit earlier than usual. Genny straightened herself up quickly and left the room, running into Delthea, who had already let herself in, and who was carrying a much heavier-looking pack than usual. She cut to the chase.

"Alright. Hear me out."

Genny was confused. "What... What's up?"

"Let me stay here for a week."

Genny shrugged. "Well, sure. You're always welcome here, if you want to be. Not really sure why you'd want to camp out here, though. Did you get into trouble?"

"Nah, what I mean is, let me take care of things. You get out there. Visit the castle. Say hello to your friends. They've been worried about you."

"That's... Thank you, but my place is here."

"Gen, look, I know what you're thinking. But this'll be good for you. Stretch your legs. Get some exercise. Get out of this little house you've been stuck in for months."

"It's not... That little."

"Okay, you got me there. But you know what I mean."

"I..."

"Do it."

"I... Okay. But do you think you can handle it?"

"Sonya? She barely does anything, doesn't she? Should be pretty easy."

"It's... A little more complicated than that."

Genny began to explain the ins and outs of caring for Sonya. Things like the fact that 'in addition to being spoon fed multiple meals, she needs to be watched to make sure she doesn't cause any harm to herself, and dressed manually.' And 'she'll also have to be escorted to the washroom multiple times a day, and yes, you will have to help her. Bathe her at least three times while I'm gone, she had a bath yesterday, so she'll be fine for today. Not too hot with the water.' And 'if you can, try to bring her for a walk around elsewhere at least once. It can be a bit rough to get her down the stairs, but it's not great for her health to be stuck in her room all day.' And 'if she starts crying, yelling, or acting out, there's not all that much you can do except be there for her. If you stay close, she'll usually calm down pretty quickly. At least, she does for me.'

Delthea sounded a bit less confident than she had been before Genny's explanation, but she still was dead set on doing this favor for her. "I can do this. Don't you worry, I'll take care of everything. You get packing."

"Alright... I'm trusting you." Genny went back into her room. Sonya was still lying in the same position she had been in when Genny had woken up, silent and awake. Genny quickly packed up a week's worth of clothing, piling it into her travelling bag. After she finished packing, she walked up to Sonya, and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Be good while I'm gone. Delthea's gonna take good care of you. Love you."

"Love you." Sonya replied, somewhat blankly, causing Genny to pause for a moment before she left the room.

As Genny finished packing food, she prepared to leave the house, waving at Delthea and triple-checking that she remembered everything she'd need to take care of. Before she could get out the door, however, Delthea stopped her.

"Ooh, Genny, before you go, can you help me move the bed from the guest room up into the bedroom? I'm gonna wanna keep an eye on her at all times, right?" Delthea scratched the back of her head. "But I don't wanna, like, share your bed with her. I figure that's, like, for you guys, and it would be weird for me to be in there with her, y'know?"

"Hah, alright."


	7. Reunion

Carriage services had become a lot more popular since the military hostilities had died down. Genny was fortunate enough to catch a cheap leisurely ride from Rigel Village down to the capital. The coachman was a bit of a talkative fellow, however, and Genny had to ad lib parts of her story in order to feel comfortable talking about herself. She fabricated a story about how she was a travelling cleric, moving from town to town, helping the sick and injured. It was good practice for when she actually had to explain things to her friends, but she was a bit surprised when the coachman said he had heard tales of her good deeds. Maybe she'd have to change her story a bit.

In a day's travel, she reached the outskirts of the town surrounding the former castle of Zofia, now capital of the Kingdom of Valentia. She was greeted warmly at the gates when she explained who she was. Anthiese spoke often of her friend Genny, she was told, although her whereabouts of late had been cause for concern. If she was returning now, the queen was sure to be happy. One guard excitedly decided to escort her to the castle personally. The instant she set foot past the front door, however, she was greeted by a piercing yell.

"In the name of Mila, if that isn't who I think it is!" 

She barely had time to process the form running towards her before she was scooped up into the air, spun around and set back down on her feet.

"Boey, come over here! Little sister's come back home." Mae took a step back, holding Genny by her shoulders. "It's been so many years, I was starting to think I'd never get to see you again."

Genny didn't know what to say. "I... Mae... Are you crying?"

Mae felt her eyes. "Yeah, a little bit. I'm just happy, is all." 

"I... I'm sorry..." Genny herself started crying a bit at that point. Boey didn't seem to have any words, but it was easy to tell he felt the same as the others.

Mae laughed. "Nothing to worry about. If you think this is bad, wait until Celica sees you."

As was predicted, when the group entered the queen's chambers, Celica nearly fell into pieces as she jogged towards Genny. When she caught Genny in a hug, she brought her down to the ground with her, forcing Genny to break the fall. After an awkward apology, and several sentences about how much she was missed or how much older she looks, Celica righted herself off of Genny, wiping the tears from her eyes. Genny brushed herself off before being helped back up, but froze for a moment when Celica asked the question she would be dodging all week.

"Where have you been?" Celica said, concerned. "We hadn't heard from you at all. About a year ago there was a rumour you were hanging around Rigel Village, so I sent out Valbar to find you. People there knew you, but nobody could tell him where you were living. So he came back, thinking he had missed you, but then I heard that you had been spotted again, so I figured I'd... Well, anyway, you're probably hungry, right? Let's get you something to eat."

Genny was relieved that Celica herself had changed the conversation, as if she knew it wasn't a topic to press. Mae spoke on this to Genny privately a couple days later, telling her that Celica had previously voiced her concern that Genny had been purposely avoiding her. However, she had also stated that she trusted Genny enough to know that if she was doing so, she was doing so for a good reason. 

Over the week, Genny dined on fresh, multiple-course meals and stayed in a lavish guest room. The comparisons between these conditions to her simple, minimalist cooking and dark, cold bedroom were unavoidable to her. But despite enjoying the hospitality, there was still one thing she missed from home.

\---

On the second day, Genny ate in the castle's dining room with Celica, Alm, Mae, and Boey. She was surprised to learn that she had only barely caught Mae and Boey, who were preparing on the day she arrived to end their visit to the castle in order to return to the priory. They had asked to extend their stay when Genny arrived, however. Everyone talked at length as they ate, about things that had happened over the last several years, including some things Genny already knew, and many she did not. Genny complimented how well connected they were with everything that was happening.

"You're one of the only ones from back then who doesn't stop in from time to time." Alm said, matter-of-factly. "Well, the Pegasus sisters went back home. Then there's Luthier, who took off somewhere, too, but we still hear about him from time to time. And Kliff's gone off to who knows where, but I'm sure he'll show up eventually. Sonya's basically been missing since we got back here, too. And then there's Kamui... I guess maybe there's more people missing than I had thought." The mention of Sonya had made Genny slightly nervous, but nobody seemed to noticed.

"Not to mention, there's a certain village girl who hasn't once come to visit, right Alm?" Mae said, jokingly.

Alm buried his face into the table. "I thought we agreed not to talk about that."

Everyone else shared a laugh. Mae took the opportunity to change the subject, and ask something she had been curious about. "So... Genny, can't help but notice that nice piece of jewelry on your finger. Who's the lucky one, huh?"

"Uhhhhm, It's... Just a magical artifact." Genny said shyly.

Mae smirked at her. "Honey: I'm a mage."

"I- Uh..." Genny could feel her face getting a bit redder. She couldn't say anything.

Celica took a moment to voice her concern. "You're happy, at least? It's someone good, right?"

Genny stared at the ring, tracing her finger over the gem, thinking about the one she loves. She let out a couple chuckles thinking about her memory, but when she noticed that she had, she covered her mouth in embarrassment, beginning to laugh more.

"Oh, just look at her right now. Whoever it is, they've gotta be good." Mae said, joining in on the laughter. Despite the attention, Genny laughed happily along with the others, and shared many more laughs that day.

\---

The following day, Celica and Alm were both very busy with their work. Genny had known that they would be busy, but the amount of work that they had to do from day to day was larger than she expected. She respected Celica's strength and determination greatly. Mae was still free, however, and took the day to bring Genny around to various shops and stalls around the bustling capital. There was a number of interesting things to be found, and this market was far, far larger than any Genny had ever had the time to visit.

Mae watched quietly when, on one occasion, Genny fell behind to check out a dress that was very far from her typical style. In addition to that, it was clearly built quite a bit taller and curvier than Genny herself. It was even more confusing to Mae when Genny quietly gave exact silver to the vendor, stowing the dress quickly in her bag. Mae couldn't bring herself to ask, and pretended she hadn't been watching.

\---

On the next day, Genny was mainly left to her own devices, but had been given permission to wander the castle freely. There was significantly more to the castle than she had originally predicted, and in most rooms various people were busy with their work. Eventually, she wandered into the barracks, where a couple familiar faces were chatting over their meal. When they noticed she had come down the stairs, a deep voice beckoned her to join them from across the room.

Valbar talked at length with Genny, as the two got along quite well. He stated that he had gone looking for her and came up empty, and that he had been deeply worried about her, as 'a girl as kind as her deserves a long, happy life.' For the most part Leon sat quietly at his side, preferring to leave the talking to the other two. Eventually, Valbar had to take care of his duties, and left the other two alone. Leon spoke up nearly immediately after Valbar rounded the corner.

"Couldn't help but notice that piece of jewelry you're sporting. Looks like something I'd buy, if I were the proposing type. You hear that, Valbar?"

A voice echoed down the stairs. "Sorry, did you need me for something?"

"Nevermind!" Leon said, amused but slightly upset, turning his attention back to Genny. "Did you pick it out yourself?"

"No, it wasn't me. But, it's really lovely, don't you think?" She said, smiling, as she held it between the fingers of her other hand.

"It is." Leon grinned as if he had figured something out. "Genny, forgive me, but... I feel like you and I both have similar tastes that most people don't share. That we're both... Rather unique, in different ways. Am I right?"

Genny was fairly certain she knew what he meant. She couldn't deny it. "Perhaps."

\---

As her time at the castle ended, Genny's thoughts quickly became focused on her feelings for Sonya. She had enjoyed her time here, and was sad that she had to leave, but her anxiety due to not being at her lover's side had become too much to ignore. Celica became a bit worried when Genny asked about when her coach would arrive, even more so when continued to ask several times. 

When it did arrive, Celica, Mae and Boey gathered to wish her farewell. Mae and Boey's carriage would also be arriving soon, but would be heading in a different direction. As Genny boarded her coach, she promised all of them that she would try to keep in contact with them as much as she could. She warned them that this may not happen as soon as they may wish it to. She apologized to them for not coming back sooner, and for not telling them more. And she wished them all good luck in the future.


	8. Reception

The trip back from the capital also took a full day, but the coachman for this ride was much quieter than the one on the way down. Genny did take a moment to make sure that the coachman wouldn't be telling Celica of the destination, as she would inevitably seek to do. 

Genny could hardly wait to return home, her mind filled with worry and loneliness. It built up even more over the day. By the time she finished hiking up the mountain, she could hardly settle down. She pushed the door open quickly, dropping her bag on the ground and beginning to run up the stairs.

"Sonya?"

"Genny?"

Sonya's voice came from within their room, sounding distressed. Before Genny could reached it, Delthea came out to meet her. "I'm so glad you're back! She's gotten pretty restless. I think she just misses you, though. Go on, see her." She stepped out of the way, allowing Genny to pass.

As Genny entered the room, she saw Sonya sitting on the edge of the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her gaze slowly travelled down to Genny, fixing on her, allowing her to clearly see the tears flowing from her eyes. Genny quickly sat next to her and embraced her. "I'm here now. I hope you're okay."

"Genny... Genny." Sonya spoke softly as Genny brushed her cheek.

As Delthea watched, she saw the tears from Sonya's eyes begin to slow, and her face begin to soften. Sonya's arms rose somewhat, as if she wished to hold Genny as well, but couldn't manage. Delthea had to wait a few minutes before Genny finally released her hold on Sonya and turned back to her, still smiling. Delthea spoke first.

"So, how'd it go?"

"It was good. I... I'm very happy I got to see everyone again. And I feel a lot a lot better now. Stronger. I think it was just what I needed. Thank you. How were things here?"

"Pretty easy, actually. First day was pretty normal, she was pretty responsive. Second day, she cried a lot, but it wasn't loud or violent or anything. She just kinda cried in silence."

"That's... Pretty common, yeah." Genny said understandingly.

"Third day was actually fun. She kinda just giggled a lot to herself. It was cute. I don't think I've ever heard her laugh like that before."

Unlike Delthea, Genny had heard that giggle. But it had been a long time. "She... Giggled? She hasn't laughed since before she got like this. Not once." 

"Huh. Not really sure what to tell you. She really seemed like she was enjoying herself. It made me happy, too. I'm sure... I'm sure you'll get to hear it again. You deserve to."

Genny looked over at Sonya, and then back at Delthea. "Thanks." She really wanted to.

"Anyway, fourth and fifth days were also pretty normal. No problems, at least. Yesterday she started calling for you, though. She kinda started getting nervous. Today was a bit worse, but, well, you showed up and she's back to normal now. I think she was just getting lonely and worried.

Genny smiled. "I was, too."

"And I'm glad you're back. I'll leave her in your capable hands."

Genny stood up, walking towards Delthea. "Delthea. I appreciate it. I'm not really sure how I can pay you back, but, I promise, someday I'll..."

"Hey! Don't worry about it. I had fun. Plus, it was good housekeeping experience, honestly. I'm trying to learn some new skills. Ah, do you want that extra bed out of here before I go?"

Genny confirmed that, and moved the guest bed back downstairs with Delthea, before assisting her with her packing and wishing her well. "For what it's worth, you'd make a very good housekeeper. See you soon, okay?"

"For sure! I'm glad to see you looking so much better. Thanks again!" She helped herself out the door.

"Hey! I'm supposed to be thanking you!" Genny sighed as Delthea made her way down the slope, away from the house, waving over her shoulder as she walked away. Genny closed the door, then dug through her bag, pulling out the dress that she had bought as a gift, and brought it upstairs to show Sonya.

Things had improved. Genny was feeling much more confident. She did all of the tasks she needed to do with enthusiasm and renewed vigor. Sonya herself also seemed to be calmer, and more responsive. The home itself felt brighter and less empty. Genny knew that things were good. She knew that she could handle this.

There was one thing she still wanted. She'd to hear that laugh. And she would get that chance in only a few short weeks.

\---

"Hey, uh, so, I might've screwed up a bit. Just a little. I don't know." Delthea said, after passing Genny a meat bun and relaxing into a chair.

Genny took her time to finish chewing before she responded."Hm? What's up?"

Delthea looked away and tapped her fingers together. "I kinda, maybe, sorta told some guy you were here. He might've known already, actually? I'm not sure."

Genny had to cover her mouth to prevent herself from spitting out her food. "What? Why? Delthea!"

"Okay, so look, I was looking for work, right? And, like, I had heard about this village east of here that nobody goes to, so I thought, like, what if I went there? So I went there. When I was there, there was, like, this old bearded guy who already knew who I was. And he asked me to tell him what my worries were. So I told him about my friend who takes care of a witch, cause you know I worry about you guys, and he was like 'I am sad to hear of your plight. It is unfortunate, as witches of Duma cannot be saved.' And I was like, 'well she's not a Duma witch but she is a witch' and then he was curious about that, so I kept talking about Sonya, and long story short he'll be coming in a week." 

"What? That's... Delthea!" Genny had set down her bun and wasn't about to touch it again anytime soon.

"Well, only if you want him to. He asked me to ask you if you wanted him to. I'll be here, too."

Genny leaned back. "Halcyon is... I think he can be trusted, but, there's something you should know. Sonya never got along with him. As a sage of Duma, he knew a lot about the witches, so we came to him for help. But one thing he was adamant about was saying that witches could never be cured. For obvious reasons, Sonya disagreed with him. I still do, too." She sighed. "If he wants to come over... I can't stop him. I don't know, maybe he'll know something that can help."

"Halcyon. Yeah, that was his name. I'll let him know."


	9. Resolve

One week later, Genny sat, anxiously awaiting the arrival of her guest. What would happen? Halcyon couldn't cure witches, so what would he know? There had to be some reason why he wanted to come. He wasn't a bad guy. Maybe he would just give her some peace of mind, or some assistance.

When the door finally opened, Genny immediately stood up to welcome him. Delthea entered first, however, holding the door open for the sage as he followed behind. Behind him, another girl followed. Genny faintly recognized her pale blue hair from long ago, but was surprised that there was more than one visitor. She was the only other, and she had seemed to be a kind person, but Genny was not sure why she was here now. Sage Halcyon took a moment to look around before fixing his eyes on Genny.

"Ah, Genny. Child, I have heard of your struggles. Please, show me to your beloved."

"Yes, Sage Halcyon, sir! She's this way." Genny had forgotten just how much respect Sage Halcyon's voice commanded when he spoke. In fact, the only person she had ever seen disrespect him was Sonya herself. Even so, it was slightly embarrassing to her when he said 'beloved' like that. Not that he was wrong. He followed her up the stairs, Silque following behind, and Delthea taking up the rear. When they entered the room, Genny sat next to Sonya, and allowed the sage to examine her..

He felt Sonya's head, and gauged her reaction. After a moment, he stood tall. "She is indeed a witch. Tell me, child, do you love her?"

Genny thought he already knew this. "Yes... Yes, of course. Always."

"And you want to hear her laugh again, correct?"

"Yes! Please, do what you can for her. I love her so much, I-"

"There is nothing I can do for her." He said, sternly.

Genny froze. She couldn't believe what he just said. "What?" Why was he here? What was the point of him coming here? To get her hopes up, and then just drop them, like that? If he already knew this then why, why would he even be here. Genny felt something welling up inside her. She stood up. "I... I can't believe you." It was anger. Delthea looked upset. Silque stepped forward, as if to intervene, but Sage Halcyon held up his arm, stopping her.

"Why would you do this to me? To us? Why are you being so cruel? She doesn't deserve this! You don't know what we're like! And you just come here, to what? To mock us? Get out! Out! All of y-"

"You..." Genny was cut off by a voice behind her. Sonya had stood up. She was staring down Halcyon. Her eyes wide open. Her head tilted. Her fingers crackled with electricity.

Halcyon stood his ground. "Interesting. It is as I thought." He looked towards Genny. "As I said, I cannot help her. The power to do so lies within you."

Genny was confused, and her emotions weren't helping. She looked toward the ground. "What do you mean?" 

"Tell me, child. When was the last time you laughed in her presence?"

Sonya's body relaxed. Genny thought to herself for a moment. "I... I don't think I have. Not since she became like this."

"Why don't you try laughing now?"

Genny thought she was catching on, but she was still unsure. "I can't. Not on command like that."

"Then, why don't you try something else?"

Genny shook. If what the sage was suggesting was true, then, one of her assumptions had been wrong, and that meant something huge. It meant that Sonya had loved her far more than she had thought. Genny turned around, facing Sonya. She loved her. She'd do anything for her. Anything. Tears started to well up in Genny's eyes.

"Love you." Sonya said, looking back at her.

Genny took her into her arms, crying as she took her down onto the bed with her, burying her head into her shoulder. "I love you too, Sonya. I love you so much."

"Love you, Genny." Sonya's arms wrapped around Genny, and her own tears began to fall as well, as she smiled slightly. After several moments in a warm embrace. Genny sat back up.

"I... I had no idea. You've gotta be kidding me, Sonya..." She said, giggling a bit. Sonya giggled, too. Genny buried her face into her own hands as she heard it.

Delthea mouthed out the words 'there it is' to herself.

Genny looked back up at the sage. "She... She sold her soul to me. I don't think... I don't know if I ever would have realized it. Thank you. Thank you so much, I-"

"There is something else." The sage said, cutting her off. "But it will be your decision if you wish to try it."

Genny wasn't expecting more. "What... What is it? Please, tell me."

"Do you know how one performs the ritual to sell one's soul?" His voice was stern.

"Yes... I studied it for years."

Halcyon smiled. "Then you are ready, if you wish to try. But I cannot guarantee it will work."

"What... What do you mean?" 

"When your lover sold her soul to you, you permanently received part of it. However, a human body cannot hold more than one soul. Not in the way that a god's can. Essentially, you have a surplus of soul. This, I believe, would also explain her unresponsiveness compared to other witches." He paused for a moment. "I believe, if you were to perform the ritual, giving part of yourself back to her, then you would each have one human's worth of soul. If this doesn't work, however, you would also become a witch, like her."

This hit Genny hard. Although she was willing to do anything for Sonya, there was a significant risk to this. If Genny were to become a witch, then she would no longer be able to take care of Sonya. Both of them would die. At least in her current state, with what Genny knew, she could keep her happy and well.

Silque stepped forward, speaking up for the first time. "If I may... I've promised my life to taking care of people who need help. I came to Sage Halcyon a few days ago, hoping he would help guide me on this path. He asked me to come with him here today, and I believe I understand why. In the event that something were to happen... I would devote myself to taking care of the both of you. We may not know each other terribly well, but I swear to you this."

Delthea also spoke up, crying. "I'd help, too. As much as I could. We're friends, after all."

Genny held her hand to her chest, hopeful. "Alright... And thank you. I'm willing to give it a shot. I think this can work. It makes sense. She'll probably be mad at me, but-"

She was cut off once more by Halcyon. "There's one last thing you should know. Even if this method were to succeed, when one of you eventually passes on, their soul will be returned to their body, causing the other to be returned to the state of a witch. This cannot be avoided."

Genny stared at him, a grin on her face and fire in her eyes. "Sage Halcyon, sir? You needn't worry about that. The two of us will have found a cure by then."

Halcyon smiled back. "So be it."


	10. Remedy

Delthea sat in the lobby across from Silque, waiting until the verdict came from upstairs. The two of them had already had the opportunity to catch up with each other on the trip from the Sage's Hamlet, and there was a lot more on both of their minds at the moment. Delthea needed to talk to keep her mind from worrying, though.

"Hey, if this works out, what are you gonna do? You're gonna have to keep searching for people to help, so it's almost like this whole thing a waste of time for you."

Silque didn't answer that. "Do you think it will work out?"

"Well, yeah! Genny loves Sonya so much, there's no way that she'll mess up giving her soul to her. Well, maybe she'd give a little too much, and that'd be-"

Silque smiled. "I'm glad you think so. I hope it works out, as well. Either way, this trip will have been worth it. Seeing a loving couple like them... Makes me feel a lot better. It makes me reconsider some of the things I want, as well."

"Oh yeah? You got someone in mind?" Delthea teased.

"Well, there's no guarantee that person would..." Silque sighed, and then chuckled. "Somebody taught me gossiping doesn't leave a good impression, so I'll leave it at that. How about you?"

"Mm, I got nobody in mind, but I'm still young. Dunno really if I wanna work or just get married. Either way, it'd be fun to have someone, y'know? But for now, hangin' out with these guys has been really fun. I'll keep doing that, if I can. And I'm gonna be able to, cause it's gonna work out. I'm tellin' ya. And I can't wait."

Sage Halcyon stepped out of the door to the bedroom, closing it behind him. "It is finished. Go see, if you wish." He walked down the stairs, and out of the house.

\---

"Can you stand?"

"I... I think so. I feel a bit weak, but, I think I've got it." 

"Good. You look good. Can you walk to me?"

"I'll try. Yeah. Yeah, this is working."

"Good! Now, can you kiss me?"

"Yes."

Delthea opened the door slowly, but quickly and quietly closed it. They deserved this moment, and she'd congratulate them afterwards. For now, she couldn't have a bigger grin on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!!! thank you for reading this, and i hoped you liked it. if you have any questions about anything feel free to ask! 
> 
> when i had seen what sonya's ending blurb was when i finished the game i kinda thought about it too much and then this happened. but i think it was worth it, it was a lot of fun for me to write and pretty emotional as well.
> 
> okay i cried a couple times while writing this story but please don't mind me.


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